I am in 9th grade and attend Centennial Junior High School in Kaysville, Utah. I would like to address something that has been bothering me.

I consider myself to be an athlete and am on our wrestling team as well as a competitive baseball player. I go to school every morning and train for wrestling and some days for two hours after school as well. We also have matches on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

So as you can see it is a big commitment to be a member of the team. I also work very hard to keep really good grades. As you know, if you do not maintain a good grade point average you are not allowed to play any school sports, cheerleading, student council, etc. I have seen kids in my school that were very good athletes, not be able to compete because their grades were not good enough to participate.

So how is it fair that home schooled kids can go to a school in Utah and be able to compete in sports, etc. and the only proof the school board needs of their grades is the word of the person home schooling the student, which is usually the parents?

I know a kid that goes to a local high school С he only takes seminary and nothing else. He is on the wrestling and football teams at his school. His mother has him do a couple of hours per day online and that is what his schooling is. His mother tells the school that her son’s grades are good enough to participate on the athletic teams and that is that. The school does not require her to show proof of his grades or anything.

How is that fair to kids that work so hard in school but cannot get a high enough grade point average to compete, but a kid that only attends one class (that isn’t considered a school credit class) is allowed to participate? It doesn’t make sense and seems very unfair.

There should be a test that all home-schooled students should have to take to see if they should be allowed to be on school teams of any kind. Maybe this letter can make a difference.